Why Do You Never Smile?
by bucktooth22
Summary: Rin gets older and her relationship with Sesshomaru grows too. Rin x Sesshomaru
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

"Master Sesshomaru?" Rin asked looking at her master with a bright and loving smile. He did not move his head or change his stride, he showed no signs that he'd heard her. "Why do you never smile?"

"I have no reason to." Sesshomaru replied looking down at her as she walked next to him.

"Leave our master alone to his thoughts Rin." Jaken snapped.

"Leave her be Jaken." Sesshomaru said sharply causing Jaken to gape at them as they continued walking on without him.

"But you have me and master Jaken." She said taking Sesshomaru's hand. He looked down at her small hand completely engulfed by his.

"Yes, but Jaken and I are demons and will be without you one day." Sesshomaru said picking her up and putting her on his shoulder so she could burry herself in his "fluff" as she called it.

"Will you miss me when I die Master Sesshomaru?" She giggled and kissed his forehead. He said nothing and they continued in silence until nightfall.

"Are you tired?" Sesshomaru asked when he heard a wide yawn from the small girl on his shoulder. She had her head cradled in her arms atop his head.

"Yes Master, we've walked so far!" Jaken said eager for a rest.

"I meant Rin." Sesshomaru said shooting Jaken a look that stilled his tongue and chilled his bones.

"No Master, I'm fine." She said with another huge yawn.

"Jaken find a suitable place for us to rest for the night." Sesshomaru said taking her off his shoulder and cradling her in his arm.

"Yes Master!" Jaken said before scuttling off on his own.

"Would you like to rest on Ah-Un?" Sesshomaru asked looking down at the girl only to find she'd already fallen asleep in his arm. He looked at her sleeping face for a long while, wondering what to do with her.

Just as he resumed walking Jaken reappeared. "Master, I have found a nice place to rest." He said leading the others over to a small glade. At the center was a large willow tree, its branches sagging low and with a trunk so wide it may have been around when Sesshomaru's father walked the earth. Jaken took off Ah-Un's harness and allowed it to graze in the glade before coming to rest against the tree. Sesshomaru lay down under the branches; they hung low and shut off the rest of the glade and the forest beyond it from their restful slumber. Rin was on his chest, her sleep undisturbed by the change in scenery. He moved to his side so she could rest atop his "fluff," but she pressed against his chest, her hands resting almost reverently on his chest. He pressed his lips to her head, his nose inhaling her scent before he kissed her and moved away once more. "Rin, what will I do when you have left me?" He asked softly.

"Master?" Her eyes fluttered open and a sleepy yawn fell from her lips. "I won't leave you." She said sleepily. He said nothing, simply watched her fall asleep once more. Only when he was sure she was asleep did he feel tears fill his eyes. They burned and he blinked trying to disperse them. How had he allowed himself to grow so attached to this young human? His ward was just that, human, mortal, weak, and yet here he was weeping over her impending loss like he too was human. This weakness he felt burned him to the core and he felt anger. Anger not at Rin, but at himself for loving Rin so much. He shook his head and brushed his tears away onto his sleeve.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Time continued on as time is known to do. And with that, meant the aging of humans. One aging human in particular caught the eye of one particular demon. Suddenly the master became aware of his ward, how she was no longer the young girl who would sing songs about his greatness and pick flowers to make him crowns. She still sang about him, her voice now melodic and her flower crowns expert. She occasionally sold them when they neared villages, the money she always presented to Sesshomaru. He had no use for it and would wave it off.

She was clad in beautiful kimonos all of beautiful colors and made by expert hands. He supposed she bought the clothes with the money she made. They were walking down a path, he was in front, with Rin skipping behind him, her bare feet kicking up dirt and her voice caught in a brilliantly laid tune of his splendor. Jaken was riding Ah-Un in the rear of their party. Rin skipped on ahead before she began twirling around Sesshomaru, her feet dancing so fast they seemed to have a mind of their own. That was until one caught on a protruding rock and she tripped and fell. Only her impending landing was halted suddenly when Sesshomaru caught her, righted her, and continued on his way.

"Master Sesshomaru?" She ran up and walked beside him, taking his hand and smiling brightly.

"What is it Rin?" He asked calmly.

"Why don't you ever smile?" She asked touching his face with her other hand.

"I have no reason to." He replied.

"You have me, does that not please you?" She asked.

"But you will die one day. That does not please me." He said.

"Yes, you will die one day too, but I do not mourn you. I may die one day, but that doesn't mean I should just give up." She beamed up at him.

"So I should take pleasure in what I have now?" He asked looking down at her.

"Yes! Do as the humans say, treat every day as a blessing." She said raising his hand to her lips and kissing it before curtsying and skipping on ahead.

"I suppose she is right." He said softly. "Because my time with her is limited I must treasure every day as if it were our last."

"Did you say something Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked loudly. Sesshomaru said nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

A few nights later they lodged in an abandoned castle, the passed human occupants had left the place in shambles. That was no bother, as it kept the rain out well enough. Jaken tended to Ah-Un as Sesshomaru followed Rin about the rooms. "Oh master, this should be your room!" She said sliding open the doors and revealing a large empty room, its walls barren and its floor rotten.

"And where shall your room be?" He asked looking at her with no argument to his sleeping arrangements. She skipped on down the hall until she threw open the doors to another room. This one was small and equally barren. Its floors had holes where the wood had rotted away and there was a leak in the corner.

"This one shall be mine." She beamed up at him.

"This will not do." He said with a soft nod for her to continue looking. She searched through most of the estate, the rooms all seemed to be in similar shape and finally she stopped and turned to look at him.

"Well then you pick one." She said taking his hand. He turned and walked back to his designated room.

"Share mine." He said pushing open the door and stepping inside.

"As you wish master." She bowed deeply before him before she began skipping about the room.

"Rin come here." He said as he sat in the middle of the floor. She ran over and plopped down next to him. He reached up and undid her hair from the pony tail it was in allowing it to fall about her shoulders. He began running his fingers through it, untangling, and pulling things from it like leaves and grass. When finally he was done he did it back up in a nice neat pony tail.

"Thank you master." She said turning to him. "My turn." She beamed and moved behind him. He was unsure what she was doing, but her fingers were deft in their task and she was done shortly. He had a beautiful neatly done braid in his long white hair.

"Thank you Rin." He said softly. "Now we shall rest for the night." He said as he leaned on the wall.

"No no Master." Rin chide with a smile. He looked at her patiently. "You must sleep up there." She pointed to a raised platform in the room with a veil surrounding it. It was riddled with holes but still hanging. He got up and went over, brushing the thin curtain aside to reveal a moth eaten sleeping mat. He toed it out of the way and pulled the veil down easily tossing it on top of the mat before sitting with his back against the wall. "No no master." She laughed and went over to him. She began taking off his fluff and his armor. He did nothing to stop her as she removed all his clothing until he was just down to his billowy pants. "Now lay down." She directed him. He did as she said. "Isn't that better?" She asked beaming. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her against his bare chest and holding her tight. He buried his nose in the crook of her shoulder, inhaling her scent before kissing her neck.

"Yes this is better." He smiled.

"Master-" She murmured.

"Hush Rin, let me rest." He said before falling asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

The next morning he woke to find her pressed against him, her arms wrapped around his waist and her head resting gently on his chest. "Rin." He said softly.

"Yes master?" She asked sleepily nuzzling her nose into him.

"It is time to wake up." He said.

"As you wish my lord." She said not getting up.

"Rin." He said again a few minutes later.

"I'm up." She mumbled. Sighing he tilted her head up and kissed her firmly on the lips. Her eyes shot open and she blinked rapidly. When he let go she looked around as if unsure of her surroundings. "I'm up master." She said.

"The building has become unstable. Take Jaken and Ah-Un and leave this place. I will join you shortly." He said.

"Yes master." She said before bolting from the room. Sighing heavily he stood and began redressing as the building creaked and swayed about him. He did not rush and took no pains to move any faster than normal. Finally as he reapplied his fluff and began to head to the door the walls gave a heavy shudder and the roof began to cave in. He heard Rin shriek his name in the distance and as light spread about his body he was beside her in an instant.

"I told you Rin." Jaken said haughtily. She had tears spilling out of her eyes as she leapt off Ah-Un's back and onto him, wrapping her arms around him and clinging to him tightly. He landed with her held in his one arm as she clung to his neck.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru said as Ah-Un landed next to him.

"Yes my lord." Jaken said ever eager to please.

"Go back to the rubble. I seem to have forgotten something." Sesshomaru said presenting his bare foot.

"Yes my lord! Right away!" Jaken said.

"Hush Rin." Sesshomaru said softly. Her soft cries stilled until she was just holding onto him and hiccupping.

"Master?" She asked softly.

"What is it Rin?" He asked patiently.

"Will you cry when I die?" She asked as he finally put her down.

"Yes." He said looking down at her big red puffy eyes. "But for now, will you give me a reason to smile?" He asked.

"Of course master." She said rubbing her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her as he had done before. Only this time she was awake and he was not holding her chin so she could move away if she wished. But instead of moving away from him she flung her arms around his neck and pressed herself close to him. When he moved back and she let go she was blushing and beaming and she laughed.

"What?" He asked.

"I think your hair came undone master." She said giggling at his perfectly curled hair.


End file.
